Bond between a rigid refractive element and a surrounding housing structure in an optical system containing a liquid refractive element

Abstract

In an optical system comprising a pair of rigid (e.g., glass) lens elements 11 and 12 mounted coaxially within a hollow cylindrical housing 10 so as to define a gap therebetween, a liquid (which functions as a liquid lens element 13) is contained within the gap. The rigid lens elements 11 and 12 are bonded to corresponding interior surface portions of the cylindrical housing 10 by means of an adhesive material that also functions as a sealant to prevent leakage of liquid from the gap. The adhesive sealant material preferably consists of a fluorosilicone sealant marketed by Dow Corning Corporation of Midland, Mich. under the trademark DOW CORNING X5-8738.

I claim: 
     
       1. A bond between a rigid refractive element and a surrounding housing structure in an optical system containing a liquid refractive element, said bond comprising: a) a surface portion of said rigid refractive element;   b) a surface portion of said surrounding housing structure; and   c) a sealant interposed between said surface portion of said rigid refractive element and said surface portion of said surrounding housing structure, said sealant adhesively attaching said surface portion of said rigid refractive element to said surface portion of said surrounding housing structure, said sealant being substantially impermeable and chemically inert with respect to a liquid selected from a group consisting of silicon oils, esters, aldehydes, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons, said sealant being curable without being exposed to external chemicals, said sealant being elastomeric when cured.   
     
     
       2. The bond of claim 1 wherein said sealant substantially consists of a fluorosilicone material. 
     
     
       3. The bond of claim 2 wherein said sealant substantially consists of a material marketed under the trademark DOW CORNING X5-8738. 
     
     
       4. A bond for sealing a liquid refractive element between first and second rigid refractive elements and a surrounding housing, said bond including a) a first surface portion of said first rigid refractive element;   b) a second surface portion of said second rigid refractive element;   c) a third surface portion of said surrounding housing structure; and   d) a sealant interposed between said first and second surface portions of said rigid refractive elements and said third surface portion of said surrounding housing, said sealant adhesively attaching said first and second surface portions of said rigid refractive elements to said third surface portion of said surrounding housing, said sealant being substantially impermeable and chemically inert with respect to a liquid selected from a group consisting of silicon oils, esters, aldehydes, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons.   
     
     
       5. A bond as in claim 4, said sealant being curable without being exposed to external chemicals. 
     
     
       6. A bond as in claim 4, said sealant being elastomeric when cured. 
     
     
       7. A method for bonding a rigid refractive element and a surrounding housing in an optical system containing a liquid refractive element, said method including the steps of: a) obtaining an elastomeric, adhesive sealant substantially impermeable and chemically inert with respect to the liquid refractive element, the liquid refractive element comprising a liquid selected from a group consisting of silicon oils, esters, aldehydes, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons;   b) attaching a surface portion of said rigid refractive element and a surface portion of said surrounding housing with said sealant; and   c) curing said sealant without exposure to external chemicals.   
     
     
       8. A method as in claim 7, step (a) including the sub-step of: selecting said sealant from a group substantially consisting of fluorosilicone compounds.   
     
     
       9. A method as in claim 7, step (a) including the sub-step of: selecting said sealant from a group substantially consisting of a material marketed under the trademark DOW CORNING X5-8738.